The Secret War
by Tri-Sphere Alliance
Summary: Sequel to "Peacetime Wars". By Knuckles19 and Alexandria the Great. A year has passed since the incident with Vincent. Now, a war must be kept a secret from the public eyes.
1. Chapter One Act One

Chapter One: It begins.... Act One: The Messenger By Knuckles19{Bear with me folks. Romance is not my forte}  
  
It had been some time since Heero Yuy had to do any fighting. It had been a year since he last cheated death. He sat in his comfortable chair in the lounge of his new residence with Releena at his side. They were enjoying a silent evening reading their favorite book, War and Peace. Heero was engrossed in the book, except for when he was hypnotized by the glare of Releena's eyes. He would often slip away from even the most intriguing book to stare into the eyes of his lover. It became a habit that was becoming more frequent as the big day drew near. In one month, Heero Yuy and Releena Peacecraft were to be married. All of the guests, including foreign dignitaries and Heero's old comrades, had already confirmed that they were coming. This was the life that Heero and Releena had longed for. A life away from the troubles and sorrows of war and politics. Unfortunately, Releena's duties as a, as Duo would put it, "Government dude" would not halt, so she had to return to the office for days on end.  
  
Heero gazed up from his book and gazed deeply into Releena's eyes. "I love you." He said as he had done many times before, and she gave her answer "I love you too." Heero dropped his book and gave Releena a long passionate kiss, holding for five minutes before having to come up. He looked at Releena once again. He sometimes wondered how they ended up together after Heero himself had tried to kill her in the past. He didn't know, but he didn't care. He was determined to keep her alive ever since she had evaded death. The incident with Vincent was long since passed, but ever since Heero was always at Releena's side. He even sat through meetings as her personal bodyguard. It bothered her at first, but he always said "Don't worry. It's not my will to die." This comforted her at times due to all of the previous brushes with death.  
  
Heero returned to giving his lover a kiss, but the moment was lost as the doorbell rang. "Hold those lips, I'll be right back." She loved his little attempts to say romantic things, but she couldn't help but giggle at some of his little remarks. Heero opened the door and saw a young man in his mid-teens was standing wearing black shorts and a green shirt. He was amazed at the resemblance to himself a few years ago. "Umm.....can I help you?" Asked Heero. The young man took a look at Heero. "The perfect soldier, I presume?" Heero flashed to attention. Nobody had called him that in a great deal of time, and only a handful of people knew he had this title. "Who are you?! What do you want?!" Heero asked in a stern tone. The young man drew an envelope from his pocket. "This is for you. Mission complete." The young man said as he stepped back. Heero looked at the envelope. It had no markings on it. "What's this? What the?" When Heero looked up from the envelope, the teen was gone. Heero opened the letter, and read it's contents. "Oh great......how am I going to tell this to Releena?" He pondered this as he walked into the lounge. "Umm......honey?" Heero said with a downcast tone in his voice. "Yes?" She answered sweetly. "I have some work to do." He threw the letter to Releena. She caught it and read the news. "Oh no, do you have to?" Heero looked crestfallen, but his look couldn't compare to the look on Releena's face. "I'm not sure. I'll find out what they want, but I'm not making any promises." Releena let out a long sigh. "I suppose it would be wise to find out what these people want. Just come back to me alive, okay hon?" Heero smiled and said "Don't worry. It's me!" He turned and left. As Releena heard the door close she said "That's what I'm afraid of."  
  
On top of Heero's home, on the roof of the second story, the teen messenger stood looking down on Heero leaving his home. "I guess he's decided to take us up on the offer." Another voice came from behind him. "Do you think he'll aide us?" Asked the new voice. "He has to. If he is one of the fifteen who bears the crest, it will be his obligation." Said the messenger confidently. The other man was now slightly comforted, but he had another question. "He may not like that argument. Just because he has it, he may not care about it." The messenger sighed and stared at the back of his hand. "He must. Without him, the colonies and the Earth are finished. Let's go." Both of the mystery men jumped off the roof and left for their destination.....a meeting that would decide the fate of the world. 


	2. Chapter One Act Two

Chapter One: It Begins..... Act Two: The Union By: Knuckles19{Hmm......maybe I'll try writing a different way}  
  
Heero hailed a cab and caught a ride to the address scribbled on the piece of paper he had received from the messenger. He arrived after a five minute ride and got off in the city. He glanced down at the address. "7894 Werner Street.....this must be it." He gazed up at the tall building that stood before him. It was a typical business complex with the windows reaching as high as one could see. Heero entered and boarded the elevator. He read the next instructions. "Now a secret seeps beneath your feet......too easy." Heero ripped the carpet off of the elevators floor. He saw the outline of a hatch and opened it. Sure enough, there was a ladder leading toward the depths of the basement. He grabbed the rungs and began to climb down. Heero's mind was blank as usual. He never questioned orders. He just carried them out. As he was halfway down, the elevator began to move downward. "Oh crap!" Heero released his hands from the steel rungs and fell twenty feet to the ground. "Ugh.......this is pathetic." He felt very little pain and slid into an opening to his left just as the elevator hit the ground. He got up and brushed himself off and proceeded to walk down the corridor that lay before him. It was dark, but very little phased Heero Yuy compared to all of his previous experiences. He came to a steel door. He pulled hard on a handle and it swung open. To his surprise, he was now in a gray room with several cushioned seats. In four of them were Duo Maxwell, Wufei Chang, Quatre Rabberba Winner, and Trowa Barton. Duo stood up, "Yo'Heero! What's up?" Heero was slightly confused. "Umm.....hey guys. What are you doing here?" Duo sat down and Wufei spoke. "We were given a message from some kid dressed like you two years ago. What's going on Heero?" Heero sat down "Don't ask me. I was cuddling up with a good book when some kid gave me a message." Duo snickered and said "Yeah, I BET you were cuddling up with a book.......and Releena!" He burst out laughing. Quatre snapped out "DUO! Don't be so insensitive!" Quatre calmed down "Don't worry Heero. He may be that way, but you should have seen him when we came down here."  
  
This caught Heero's attention.  
  
"How was he when he came down?" Heero asked with a curious tone in his voice for the first time.  
  
"When he saw the elevator come down on us" Trowa started "he screamed like a baby.  
  
Duo's face turned red "SHUT UP!" He screamed out.  
  
Trowa smiled "Well you deserve it for picking on poor Quatre when he was watching his soap opera's."  
  
Then for the first time in his life, Heero let out a light laugh. All of the pilot's mouths dropped open. Heero finished laughing and realized that he was the only one. He turned back to his cold, emotionless self.  
  
At that moment, another door opened, revealing the messenger that had brought the letters to the boys. "Well, I guess you're all wondering why I've called you all here." Before any of them could answer, he began to speak again. "Please present the backs of your hands. They held their hands out. The young man snapped his fingers. At that time, the lights went out and a black light came on. On their hands rested a small crossed swords emblem in front of a strange cross. "Okay, that's all I needed to see!" He snapped his fingers again and the lights came back on.  
  
"Exactly why did you call us here?" Wufei asked. "I had to break a......." He paused to word his sentence "....engagement of great importance" He finished.  
  
"Don't worry" Began the teen "You'll have plenty of time for your date."  
  
Wufei's face turned redder than Duo's had. "HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?!"  
  
The boy raised his hand, showing the same crest as the others. "I'm a perfect solider. I know all about you guys."  
  
"Perfect soldier?!" Quatre burst out "I thought that was Heero!" Duo stepped in "Wasn't that what you always called yourself Heero?" He asked with a skeptical look.  
  
Heero was lost in thought "I thought I WAS the perfect soldier. Where does this punk get off calling himself by that title?"  
  
"I represent a small elite force, code named the Perfect Army." The young man was ready to give answers before he got the questions. "Anybody who bears the "Fire Cross" is a member of the force. Our job is to prevent great threats from disturbing the peace. My name is Lance, P.S.I.D. No. 08. I already know who you all are."  
  
Trowa looked stern "If that's your job, then you sure screwed up during the past three years."  
  
Lance chuckled "I didn't say that we could prevent all wars from breaking out, but we have done a great deal since the war with the Space Station Libra. There are quite a few mobile suits that you've never even heard of thanks to us!"  
  
Wufei grew impatient "Enough of the bragging about who you are. Just tell us what you want already!"  
  
"Very well" Once again, he snapped and a door opened. "Follow me, and I'll tell you the details." 


	3. Chapter One Act Three

Chapter One: It Begins.... Act Three: The Purpose By: Knuckles19{Alexandria the Great has the next three acts. Look forward to it!}  
  
Heero and the others followed Lance down the corridor that lay before them. "What are these things on our hands?" Asked Quatre. "And why haven't we ever known about them before?" Included Wufei.  
  
"I suppose I could give an explanation." Lance held the back of his hand to the pilots to show his crest. "This is the mark of the Perfect soldier. The crests are placed on us at intervals in our life without our knowing. Even I don't know their origin. They are placed on those selected to be in the Perfect Army."  
  
Trowa looked a bit confused. "So we've been unknowingly drafted?"  
  
Lance laughed. "I guess you could say that. I wasn't too thrilled when I was "drafted", but I had a reason or two to join after I gave it some thought."  
  
"Soooooooooooo.......it's up to the crest-bearer to decide whether or not to join?"  
  
"That's the general idea. I know you all have things you'd rather be doing, but it's time to explain why I've called you here." Lance drew a small remote from his pocket and pressed a button. An image of a large craft appeared on a monitor. "Do you recognize this?"  
  
They all gasped in amazement. "That's the........" Duo began and Wufei finished with "the Space Station Libra!"  
  
"Well, it's good to see that senility hasn't come with age." Lance said with a grin.  
  
"We're not that old, kid." Trowa commented.  
  
"I'm perfectly aware of your ages. If I knew Wufei had a date with a girl he met about a year ago, I certainly know how long you've been alive. These are indeed the schematics for the space station Libra. You'll note, however, that there are a few large changes."  
  
Quatre took a closer look. "Hmm......this looks a bit more hollow than the other station. But then again, the last time I was in there, I was blowing it up."  
  
"Well, this is not the Libra you we're all aboard." Lance started, now with a stern look on his face. "A few months ago, we stole these plans from a small shuttle bound for a colony on the moon. Normally we wouldn't interfere with such a minor craft, but these we're detected on board. We've been analyzing them for months, and......"  
  
"And?" Asked a worried Heero.  
  
"These have been marked several times in many of the sectors. Whoever is using this, may have a prototype, or even a working station."  
  
Wufei showed shock for the first time in months. "You mean the Libra could be up and running?!"  
  
"Yes. And that's where you all come in. We've been formulating a plan to stop them from using such a weapon."  
  
"Uh-huh.....who's "They"?" asked Duo.  
  
"To be quite honest, I don't really know. Whoever it is, he or she may want to start a war of some kind. I don't even know their intentions, but it's certainly illegal to possess a weapon with destruction capabilities of this magnitude. So, with your help, we'd like to try to prevent the eyes of innocent civilians from ever having to see this calamity of the skies." Lance became silent, waiting for an answer.  
  
Quatre looked bold. "I'll do what I can. I don't want any innocent soldiers to die trying to fight a second Libra!" Duo smiled "If Quat's in, I'm in."  
  
"I guess I have no choice. The circus will close if it gets destroyed, and then where will I be?" Trowa said after giving a heavy sigh. Wufei agreed reluctantly, but Heero remained silent.  
  
"Something wrong Yuy?" Inquired Lance.  
  
"I can't. I have plans in a month."  
  
"I've factored that into account. If we can execute all of the planned missions with total precision, we can have everything out of the way in about two or three weeks. Any objections to helping out now?"  
  
Heero was now filled with mixed emotions. Part of him wanted to spend every waking moment with Releena. However, another part of him yearned to accept the mission. He never realized how much he missed the action of the battlefield. "I'll.......do it."  
  
"Excellent! Now, I know you all have somebody you might want to say goodbye too, so the mission won't begin for a while. I'll meet you all at Hangar 39 in three days. I'll explain the situation further from there. Until then, dismissed." Lance turned the monitor off as the pilots departed.  
  
"Another Libra.......and the people can't even know about it." Thought Wufei. "OH YEAH! The Great Destroyer is born again!" Duo yelled.  
  
"How am I gonna break this to Releena?" Heero asked. Quatre responded "Don't worry. She's a diplomat and a great woman. She'll understand." Heero remained silent once again. 


	4. Chapter Two Act One

Chapter Two: The Deportations

Act One: Good-bye and Good-bye

By: Alexandria the Great {Hope y'all enjoy! Knux did a great job, didn't he? J }

            The image of the perfect soldier flashed in Heero's mind during the taxi drive from the airport—how did they get that mark on Lance's hand, any way?  That should have been the least of his worries; Relena was going to be none too happy about Heero leaving for any kind of anything.  He was engaged so deep in thought, he didn't even realize he'd walked into his house and was holding Relena.  

            "How was it? What happened?"

            Heero didn't know what to say.  She looked so happy, a happiness that was glittering in her sea-blue irises and glowing in the back of her eyes.  He sighed.

            "Libra….Libra's back. It's a base. Somebody's planning a war. I have to go to war. You won't see me, I mean it, I mean the war…"

            "What do you mean 'Libra's back'?" Relena interrupted his crazy babble.

            "I'm sorry, Lena. There's a new threat. Somebody—we don't know who—has rebuilt Libra and they could be planning something."

            "Why you?"

            That was actually a very good question. Why Heero? He risked his neck once, he'd be more than obliged to do it again, and die in the struggle.  After all, what was he born for?

            "I'm the perfect soldier.  I have to join other perfect soldiers and be ready for battle."

            "Is that what that guy said?" Relena let go of him.

            "Yeah, but—"

            "You don't even know that there's going to _be_ war. You could be going through all this for nothing."

            "That not the Relena I know," he said with a smile, "you don't really fell that way."

            Relena hinted at tears. "I just don't want to lose you."

            "You're not going to lose me. It's……..me."  Heero took her in his arms. Relena sighed.

            "When are you leaving?"

            "I have to be somewhere in three days."

            "Three days?! Why so early?"

            Heero shrugged. "Just the way that guy told us things would go."  Heero smiled. "Now I know how Zechs must have felt when we met with Epyon and Wing Zero.  Almost at the mercy of a teen."

            "He's a _kid_?" Relena demanded, getting a little angry.

            "So was I when I piloted." And that is the _only _reason Relena shut up.  She smiled. 

            "I guess I have to be an adult about this and give you a fond farewell."

            "Yeah, I guess. I'm going to the gym all day tomorrow and rest the next day."

            "And you're sure you have to leave in three days?"

            "That's what Lance said."

            Relena felt no obligation to believe Lance, but she hid it.  "What exactly are you going to do when you leave me?"

            Heero thought she said that like he was geared specifically toward leaving her, but answered,

            "I told you: I'm joining other perfect soldiers to form a perfect army. We'll lead the siege on Libra, should a war start."

            "And then?"

            "And then what?"

            "After you lead, you'll be home?"

            "Not necessarily. I'm going to stay and fight to the end."

            "There shouldn't be any need for perfect soldiers." Relena muttered, turning away, "Just promise me you won't use the self-detonator, Heero."

            Heero smiled a small smile.  "I promise."

            Relena smiled and they kissed.

            Three days later, Duo arrived in his SUV with the rest of the guys and honked for Heero.  The noise woke Relena, who saw 7:45 on the clock.  She snapped to alertness.

            "Heero!" he stepped in the room, fully dressed in his Preventers uniform.  He kissed her goodbye, ignoring her morning-breath. 

            "I love you." He whispered.

            "I love you, too, my Heero." She whispered back.  He kissed her hands and he kissed her forehead and walked out of the room.  She just watched solemnly as he left his love.  She heard the faintness of the front door slamming and even more faintly, a car door.  The car drove off.  Relena dashed to the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Heero, met only by a cloud of smoke in front of the fountain.  She waved goodbye to her Heero, rubbing the tips of her fingers against the glass.  She sighed and got dressed for work.

            "Twenty-seven bottles of beer on the wall! Twenty-seven bottles of beer! Take one down, pass it around—Fei!" Duo sang jubilantly 

            "Twenty-six bottles of beer on the wall." Wufei muttered flatly, concentrating on the road.  Quatre and Trowa sat in the first row of back seats and Heero stretched out on the farthest back seat.  He thought about Relena and he thought about Libra.  What could posses somebody to rebuild that? Hopefully what they were looking at was a war memorial.  But it's up and running, Lance told them, up and running.  Now ask yourself, what does an operating battleship mean to your average earthling?  Heero looked out the window.  Houses flew by.  He tried to content himself with the thought of Relena, but they were too soon at Hangar 39.      


	5. Chapter Two Act Two

Chapter Two: The Deportations

Act Two: Commandos 

By: Alexandria the Great

            For a secret war to be about to commence, Hangar 39 was certainly a frenzied place.  There was a parking lot across the street, and once the boys pulled in, it was full.  Right in front of the Hangar, what appeared to be hundreds of men, supposedly all 'perfect soldiers', were gathered out in front, slowly but surely migrating through a small, steel side door.  Heero more than anyone felt somewhat betrayed: there couldn't really be this many 'perfect soldiers' in the world, and if there were, what the hell did they need _him_ for?

            "Uh," Duo groaned, "am I the only one having second thoughts about this?"

            "No," Quatre agreed, just as irked as Heero, "who are….all these people?  What do they need us for?"

            "Not much, apparently," Wufei moaned.  Trowa didn't say a word, but he was thinking the same thing as everyone else.  The boys grabbed their duffel bags and headed toward the crowd.

            There were so many around that reminded Heero of himself: hard, cold, angry, and suicidal.  If they conversed, they didn't look at the ones they conversed with.  Oh, sure there were some Duos and Quatres scattered here and there, but mostly a bunch if Heeros and Wufeis.  Heero tapped on another version of himself.

            "Excuse me," he said flatly, "Is everyone here for the same reason?"

            The perfect soldier nodded.  "Supposedly we're gonna meet the last Gundam Pilots.  What a load of shit, huh? I'm just here cuz it's work."

            "You're not a perfect soldier," Heero grumbled.

            "And I give a shit because…" the soldier threw his cigarette.

            "You shouldn't be here."

            "Nobody asked you a damn thing anyway. Just leave me alone." The soldier turned his back to Heero.  Heero grabbed his shoulder and the soldier faced him with an angry stance. 

            "Civilians don't get involved in secret war!" Heero yelled at him. The other guy prepared to hit Heero.  Duo and Quatre held Heero back and the other guy's friends came to his side.  "Heero, man, cool your jets!"

            "Is there a problem, gentlemen?" an authoritive figure.  As could be expected, Heero and the soldier pretended they didn't hear the authority figure, twisted out of their friends' grips, and sulked away.  Heero rallied his friends and insisted they go on in and get this over with.  Near the door, Lance was waiting for them.  He perked up when he saw them.

            "Hey guys! Over here!" 

            "Lance, what the hell is with all these people?" Heero demanded.  Lance shown a small smile.

            "Did we get into a spiffy already, Mr. Yuy?" he asked, grinning.  Heero felt like making it permanent, but Lance started again,

            "To be truthful, guys, all the men and women you see are going to be under your command.  You're the only ones who weren't notified that you'd be meeting the last Gundam Pilots…and you have three guesses as to _why_." Lance grinned on the brink of laughter. 

            Even Duo didn't think that was funny.  "So wait," he said in a slight frustration, "all these flunkies," Duo motioned to the masses behind him, "are our soldiers to command?"

            "That's right.  There's an even number, two hundred.  A very short training program is going to commence.  Out of these two hundred, we have to narrow it down to fifty, and you'll end up commanding ten each.  The rest will be back up.  You pick your high-ranking officers. Still not crazy about this?"

            The boys were silent until Quatre said, "So this means when it comes time to fight, these are our men?"

            "That's right," Lance confirmed, "And you're responsible for them.  You train them, you teach them to pilot an advanced mobile suit, and watch over them.  Most of them are the same age you guys were when you started piloting, but some are as old as or older than you.  I'm not under anybody's command, I myself am slightly above you cuz it was my idea to get you guys here." Lance had a hint of arrogance in his voice.  

            "Oh, ok." Heero muttered, trying to get hold of his spinning head.  This was too much.  He would have to train these flunkies.  That could take longer than the two or three weeks Lance had promised it would take.  

            "So the ones that pass the training are the front line?" Trowa spoke for the first time that day.

            "That's right, o silent one." Lance confirmed.  This was too much.  

            Inside, the masses lay in a huge, vibrating crowd under a high balcony.  Lance stood on it with the original authority figure and a few other men.  The first authority figure spoke, and Heero thought there was something very familiar about him:

            "Ladies and Gentleman, I am Col. Sanderson Steed.  I am your highest ranking officer, and this is my council." He introduced the men on either side of him, including Lance.  "As you have all been informed, there is a possibility that the human race will soon see another war.  While we cannot prevent the war, we will prevent the human race from seeing it."  

            Oh my God, Heero thought, it's official, there's going to be a war.  The Colonel continued. 

            "The battleship Libra is in fact occupied, and the occupants sent us this message." A screen behind the masses lit up and everyone turned to see what he deal was.  The image was scanned for a computer and read: _GUNDAM PILOTS, DELIVER THE HUMAN RACE_


	6. Chapter Two Act Three

Chapter Two: The Deportations 

Act Three: Colonel

By: Alexandria the Great {Please forgive me for not updating in so long! I've been sick and bogged down by this research paper crap and haven't gotten to do anything fun! SO STRESSED! But newayz I hope you enjoy! Thanks, Raevyn!!!}

            The guys jaws all dropped to the floor.  

            "What?!" they cried in unison.  Everybody else turned and looked at the shocked five.  

            "Gundam Pilots," Colonel Steed boomed, "step forward!"

            Heero, who wasn't keen on taking orders from anyone but Doctor J, hesitated, but stepped forward in front of the crowd and faced them.  Duo and Quatre followed, then Trowa, slowly, then Wufei.  The young man Heero had bickered with earlier didn't look at all surprised.  Few did.  

            "Alright, men!" Colonel Steed pushed a switch on the balcony that lowered it for the high ceiling to just above the boys' heads. "These Gundam Pilots have been trained by the best of the best.  They are harsh disciplinarians and know what to look for in the perfect soldiers. If you can't handle being taught by intense, potentially crazy leaders and super-survivors, please leave and tell no one of what you know. The remainder of you will be thoroughly and meticulously trained.  If you don't know everything they've taught you front, back, and inside out, don't expect to be able to fight.  There are to be no potential deserters, as you will face execution for treason. I designed your training program personally, with the help of another who will not be mentioned at this point in time.  The program will train the perfect soldier; it is not customized for weak men to be developed into stronger men; it is designed to supplement and improve the stamina, strength, and solidify the mentality of the perfect soldier." The colonel paused, and lowered the platform lower.  The regal man stepped off the platform and stood by Heero.  Heero recognized him and his heart beat uncertainly.  The colonel pointed to Lance. "As you know, this is special lieutenant Lance Perkins, P.S.I.D. No. 8. He is my assistant, and will be assisting me in observing you. You will all be issued numbers and codes within the hour.  Now, number off, one through five."  The men, who'd been standing in strait lines from the beginning, numbered off accordingly.  The colonel spoke again:

            "Ones, Yuy. Twos, Maxwell.  Threes, Barton. Fours, Winner. Fives, Chang.  Dissmissed." The colonel started away.  Heero took hold of his shoulder. 

            "Duke Dermail?" he whispered.  The colonel gave Heero a blank look.

            "In my office, Yuy, at thirteen hundred hours." The colonel went on.  Heero turned back to see his friends' lines walking away in strait lines with his friends tagging along behind.  Duo shrugged in Heero's direction and followed his flunkies, whom apparently knew where they were going.  Heero made a 'go on' gesture to his men, and they filed away.  Heero followed.

            While his men were receiving their ids, Heero went on to the colonel's office.  He knocked politely. 

            "Come in," the colonel beckoned.  Heero entered without saluting and closed the door.  He had a seat.  The colonel was standing, looking at Heero blankly.  Heero was positive now.

            "So, Duke, where have you been?"

            "I am Col. Sanderson Steed."

            "You are Sanderson Dermail. You did a great job of faking your death.  _I_ believed you were dead, and I'm not gullible."

            "If you were, you wouldn't be a Gundam Pilot."

            "Tell me, Duke, what happened? I won't tell my comrades."

            "Yuy, sometimes you just have to get away and start over.  In this case, it was for the survival of planet Earth."

            "_What _ are you talking about—"

            "Secrets, Yuy, secrets.  I heard that Trieze was planning a come back in case he lost the war between the colonies and the earth.  It was tucked away deep within OZ's computers.  I was looking for something about Sally Po, when I stumbled upon information that turned me against my own OZ.  I couldn't let Trieze execute his plan…it was…too harsh…"

            "What was it?"

            "Plain and simple: kill everyone on earth and move the people from the colonies back to their mother planet.  That was Libra's true purpose, that's why Trieze built it.  It's no battleship; it's a slaughter machine."

            The Duke paused, letting this sink in for Heero.  He continued:

            "I wanted to expose Trieze, show the world that this was where the line had to be drawn, but I knew I would be assassinated by one of Trieze's specials.  So, I faked my death.  Only then would I be able to work in secret to stop this mania that would defiantly be carried out by devoted OZ stooges. I meant not to hurt my dear granddaughter, if that is your beef."

            "No, _that_ would be more Quatre's issue with you."

            "Winner fancies my Dorothy?"

            "Yep.  But that's all I wanted to know. Lance was informative, but now I know what it's really like to look at a boy his age, my age, and have him tell you that you have to help him stop the apocalypse from coming."

            "Sucks, huh?" the colonel smiled.

            "Yeah. A lot."


	7. Chapter Three Act One

Chapter Three: Reunions  
  
Act One: Old Friends Reborn  
  
By: Knuckles19{I'll have to do some better work to live up to the work done by Alex}  
  
Heero stepped out of the Colonel's office. He was immediately greeted by Lance.  
  
"Ahh, Heero. Just the man I needed to see. Follow me." He led him to an elevator. Lance pressed a rusty button that seemed almost that took them to the sub levels.  
  
"I seem to do a lot of following ever since I met you." Heero remarked. He wasn't one to follow orders from a kid, but this was a boy who was the same thing that Heero used to be. "How do you expect us to fight off a space station as massive as Libra? The Gundams were destroyed two years ago."  
  
"With those." Lance pointed out the glass window of the lift and Heero couldn't believe what he saw.  
  
"Talgeese!" Before Heero stood a horde of proudly standing Talgeese Mobile Suits. Heero recognized the original model that Zechs Marquis used to pilot, but he believed that that was the only one.  
  
"We have fifty five Talgeese ready for immediate deployment. These are special issue with a thirty percent increase in both firepower and defensive capabilities than the Talgeese Three. Of course we lost a little mobility, but that's the price of power." There was a certain shine in Lance's eye. He was proud to stare at the knight-like mobile suits. "Ahh, our shuttle is ready."  
  
Heero and Lance boarded a small, rusty spacecraft. It was meant for long range travel, but it seemed to be a large drop in technology from the Talgeese from the secret hangar. As they walked through the gray interior, Lance sat Heero with his comrades, while he went to the cockpit. "Did he tell you where we're going?" Wufei asked.  
  
"I know as much as you do about this whole war." They could feel the shuttle taking off as Heero grunted his response. He could only think about Releena and how he wouldn't be by her side for three weeks at the least. His concentration was soon broken by Lance's voice.  
  
"It'll be a while. You may want to get some sleep. I'm gonna let the auto pilot kick in while I catch some sleep." Lance jumped on top of a bunk affixed to the wall. "Make yourselves comfortable. These are going to be the most comfortable rooms you'll get for a while."  
  
"Oh boy.......this brings back memories." Duo threw his long pony tail back out of his face and crawled into one of the lower bunks. "Wake me when I can say "Are we there yet"."  
  
They all crawled onto one of the cheap mattresses that reminded them that they had been civilians for way too long.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, aboard the completed Libra, tests are being conducted to prepare the main weapon for it's merciless slaughter. And a dark man is searching the navigational charts for information that will make the war harder for Heero to fight, without having to worry about all the matters at hand.  
  
"So, they're moving as I thought they would......well Heero Yuy! It's time to finish what I should have finished one year ago. I should have put you to rest when I had the chance!" The man took some papers that the machine spit out. "I guess I'll take the new weapon." He left for the hangar of the Libra. When he arrived, he entered the cockpit of a large black mobile suit.  
  
"SIR! The tests on the weapons aren't completed yet!" A mechanic yelled.  
  
"The beam saber is working. That's all I need. Alright Epyon! Let's put your score to rest.....and mine." The Epyon came to life and flashed out of the hangar.  
  
  
  
"Yo! Wake up! We're here!" The boys awoke to the shoves of Lance as he got them out of their surprisingly comfortable bunks. "Welcome to Mars colony one. Not many people know this place exsists." He led them out of the shuttle and into a dark colony.  
  
"Where are we?" Asked Quatre, with a tone of slight fear in his voice.  
  
"This is the first colony to be se up in the orbital path with Mars. It's a top secret weapons research facility. It's code named "Cosmic Angel". It was shut down two years ago when the plans for it's main weapon were stolen."  
  
Wufei stumbled over a piece of debris when he heard the term "Main weapon". "Main weapon? Could this be....?"  
  
"Yes. The prototype space station to experiment with the Libra Cannon." Lance continued "The plans were stolen a few hours after the weapon on this colony was finished. The weapon on board this colony is still in fact quite operational."  
  
"Is that why we're here?" Trowa thought.  
  
"As useful as it sounds, that's only the second reason we're here. The first reason is to retrieve something far more destructive than that." Lance grinned at the thought.  
  
"MORE DESTRUCTIVE than Libra?!" Yelled Duo "What the hell were they working on?!"  
  
"These." Lance opened a door and everyone gasped in amazement.  
  
Heero's mouth opened wider than before. "It can't be......but it is!" He walked into the room as Lance hit a light switch. "It's my old partner.......................Wing Zero." 


	8. Chapter Three Act Two

Chapter Three: Reunions  
  
Act Two: An Anger Restored  
  
By: Knuckles19{I don't have anything to say......sorry for any typo's!}  
  
"Our Gundams!" Wufei gazed up at the Altron. It was exactly as he remembered it. The two prideful dragons shone in the beam of light that reflected off of the golden teeth.  
  
"Sand Rock.........it's good to see you again my friend." Quatre said as he walked up to the bulky mobile suit.  
  
"Care to explain these, military man?" Duo asked.  
  
"These are the prototypes for the original gundams that you flew in the war against Libra. They are slightly better armed than your old machines with a twenty percent armor increase." Lance walked further into the room and pressed a few keys on a keypad. A large hangar door flew open. "And this is Gundam Aero." In the large storage locker stood a large blue and yellow mobile suit. Heero couldn't see any visible weapons, but he never judged an enemy by appearance. "It's a machine with fifty percent more armor than any other mobile suit, and twice the firepower of anything!"  
  
"Then why wasn't it deployed in Operation Meteor?" Trowa's curiosity was growing to it's peak.  
  
"It's not the fastest thing in the world, due to all of the armor, so we knew it could easily survive the descent to Earth, but we we're afraid it would be too slow to fight on a gravity battlefield. It's better suited to space combat with a powerful thrust system."  
  
"The Great Destroyer and the Deathscythe Hell are reunited at last! Civilian life was starting to get on my nerves! Do you know how many restaurants I've been kicked out of for having an "Improper appearance"?" Duo had been "asked" out of numerous establishments for his apparel.  
  
At that moment, the station shook wildly. "What the?! What's going on here?" Yelled Heero.  
  
A monitor flashed to life. In the picture, was a totally black mobile suit that Heero immediately identified. "The Epyon!" The suit was slashing away at the hull of the space station. Then a voice came over the radio port built into the monitor.  
  
"It's been a while, Heero Yuy.........too long." Heero recognized the voice faster than he recognized the Talgeese.  
  
"Vincent Bangotti!" He yelled with a rash tone of fury in his voice.  
  
"Shouldn't you be burning in hell?!" Screamed Duo. The other pilots remembered the events from the previous year.  
  
"I had it all.........money, power, and Releena.....but then YOU came into the picture and ruined everything!" The Epyon raised it's arm and threw another mighty slash. "I should have done you in when I had the chance!" The station shook again.  
  
"I've had enough!" Heero shot up a ladder to a catwalk, and jumped into the Zero's cockpit. "You only had Releena in your mind!" The eyes of the Zero flashed green, and the mobile suit came to life.  
  
"Heero, wait!" Lance yelled. "You don't stand a chance against that thing!"  
  
It was too late. The Zero had already cut through the hangar doors with it's beam saber, and was proceeding to engage the Epyon. The remaining five grabbed onto their Gundams until the emergency blast door for the hangar closed.  
  
"Don't worry about Heero." Duo told Lance, then he turned to Wufei. "He's taken on a lot worse than this creep."  
  
"You don't understand! The Zero system isn't installed on that thing! Without it, he may not be able to take on such an advanced enemy!"  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Heero and Vincent locked sabers. Each put their heart into it, but the other refused to concede an inch.  
  
"You ruined my life! If it weren't for you, I would have been on top of the world!" Vincent coughed out in his deep voice. It had changed considerably from his old voice that spoke with a certain rich tone.  
  
"Shut up! Shut your damn mouth! I've heard enough of your crap to last me a lifetime!" Heero threw his life into his attacks, but Vincent's saber began to throw the Zero back. "What's going on?! Why doesn't the Zero fight him off?!" Heero thought as his blade made contact.  
  
"This is pathetic." Vincent raised the arm and slashed his weapon one last time. This time, it removed the arm of the Zero. This was it. Heero had no way of defending himself. He was going to die in space, never to hear Releena's voice again. "Die little rat!" Vincent prepared to strike.  
  
At that moment, something ripped through the leg of the Epyon. "WHAT THE HELL?! Who's there?!" When Vincent's turned, he couldn't believe what he saw. A red and black mobile suit heading straight for him. The suit was retracting a whip-like heat rod to it's arm. The mobile suit looked just like his own. It was the REAL Epyon.  
  
"Yuy, I know you're better than that." A new familiar deep voice came over the radio. A voice that Heero hadn't heard in a long time."  
  
"Peacecraft! You're Late!" Lance yelled over the radio link.  
  
"It's.........Zechs?" He finally placed the voice as that of the man that had helped him and fought him in the past.  
  
"I guess it's true what they say about "Better late than never." The real Epyon relieved Vincent of his left arm.  
  
"Damn!........................this time I'll let you go Yuy!" The black Epyon turned and began to withdraw. "But the next time we meet, you won't be so lucky!"  
  
"Peacecraft! Bring the Zero back into the Hangar. Are the rest of the transports close behind?" Lance had a distressed voice.  
  
"They're a few hours behind me. Upset about the Zero?" Zechs taunted.  
  
"Yeah........the paperwork to get this place running is gonna be hell. Glad I'm not Dermail. We're just gonna get all the menial repair work." Zechs and Lance laughed, but Heero saw nothing funny about the current situation.  
  
"He's still alive..........Releena!" Heero flipped his radio on. "Lance! You have to get Releena to a safe place! If anything happens to her.........."  
  
"Relax! I'm not called "Perfect Soldier" for nothing. Before we left, I had Releena escorted to one of our shuttles. I'm afraid she'll be in this for the long run."  
  
"He's not even married and he's going through hell." Joked Duo. Quatre smacked him. "OW! What was that for?!"  
  
"Insensitive clod! Don't you realize what Heero's going through?!" It was like one of Quatre's old soap operas.  
  
Trowa stepped in. "We can bash Duo for his bad jokes later. Right now we have to fix the Zero." 


	9. Chapter Three Act Three

Chapter Three: Reunions  
  
Act Three: The Split Of Reunions  
  
By Knuckles19{This one is dedicated to Raevyn Maxwell, our only reviewer. Thanks Rave!}  
  
The Zero was pulled back to the Cosmic Angel a few hours after the real Epyon landed. By then, all of the cargo and soldiers from Hangar 39 had been transferred to the Angel. Heero was alive but only by a miracle. He had several questions and he wanted answers.  
  
"I don't get it.........I thought I killed him." Vincent Bangotti was the last person Heero expected to see, aside from Zechs.  
  
Lance and Zechs walked up to Heero. "Heero this is......."  
  
"We've met." Interrupted the white haired man. "It's good to see you're still alive. I heard all about it."  
  
"Why are you here anyway? You're the last person I'd expect to fight with. Who's side are you on now?" Some of Heero's questions would soon be answered.  
  
"Yuy, I don't pick sides. I just do what comes naturally. I fight to protect what I think is right. This has led to quite a few crosses in our paths, and I wouldn't have it any other way." The way Zechs spoke made anybody feel righteous about their own beliefs. "This mark bears proof that I belong here, and I firmly believe that it's right." He held up his fist to reveal the same Emblem on his fist that the boys bore on their hands.  
  
"Heero!" a familiar female voice called out.  
  
"Releena?!" Heero's lover ran and jumped into his arms. "You brought her here?!"  
  
"Sorry, but can YOU think of a safer place? It was the best I could do on such short notice. When I heard his voice on the radio, I sent an order to Hangar 39 and had her put on the last shuttle over. If I had more time and some better connections, I could have had her sent somewhere safer, but we're going to have to make do with what we've got."  
  
Dermail's voice came over the intercom. "*Ahem* Attention all P.S. units! The shift to the station was a total success. We should have the main weapon ready in two and a half weeks. Until then, this will be our base of operations. Here, we will perfect your training until we have confirmation on the location of the Libra. Our agents in the field have informed us that the main weapon on their station will not be operational for another three weeks. All units with an odd P.S.I.D. number are to report to the simulator wing for advanced maneuver techniques. Those of you with an even P.S.I.D. number are to report to the Hangar for the live munitions training with the Talgeese units. Those with P.S.I.D. Numbers one through eight are to report to the bridge for special assignments at once. That is all." The intercom buzzed with static.  
  
"That would be Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Wufei Chang, Quatre Rabberba Winner, Zechs Marquis, Lance Perkins and Myself." Announced a limber young woman from the entrance to the hangar.  
  
"Ahh, Saori. Good to see you made the cut." Lance smiled as he looked at the girl.  
  
"Well, I can't let you have all the fun." She giggled at her own remark.  
  
"Okay! Enough of that! Let's move it." Duo was ready to get started.  
  
"Good to see you again little sis." Zechs said as he passed Releena.  
  
"My brother.......still alive after all these long years........" She went silent.  
  
  
  
"Good to see you in one piece Yuy. After fighting without the Zero system, you'll be happy that we're about to take on two missions." Dermail greeted them without so much as a hello.  
  
"Enough with the formalities! Let's get this show on the road." Trowa said. "The sooner we start, the sooner we can destroy these weapons of bloodshed."  
  
"Well spoken. Let's get right into it." Dermail pressed a button and a holographic image appeared. "Are any of you familiar with this structure?"  
  
Saori answered first. "It's colony Two Hundred Six, otherwise known as "Six Complete"."  
  
"Six Complete.........oh yeah! That's the memorial to remember all of the souls who died in the first battle against the Libra!" Quatre knew a lot about the station. "It's the largest graveyard in existence."  
  
"Correct Winner. But take a look at this." Dermail fiddled with the buttons some more, and a red arrow appeared. "As you know, the Zero is currently operating without a Zero System. This of course is the system that allows a pilot to operate at maximum output."  
  
"You make us sound like machines." Wufei frowned as he spoke.  
  
"To put it negatively, one could say that, or you could just see it as being a perfect life form. Either way, this map indicates the location of the item that might just save the earth. If our spies are correct, this map is showing us the exact position of the only Zero System in existence."  
  
"The Zero system........with that, we would have an immense advantage over the enemy on the spot." Zechs stroked his chin. "Can I assume that we'll be installing the program on all of the mobile suits?"  
  
"As soon as possible. I thought you should all know about this, due to the side effects of the Zero system. Remember, power does have a price. We are dealing with a very dangerous double edged sword."  
  
"Just remember Dermail, I've handled some pretty dangerous swords in my time, literally and figuratively." Wufei was slightly insulted that he had been classed with the others, with the exception of Heero. "If Quatre and Heero could handle it, then I certainly can."  
  
"We'll be sending Heero, Lance, and Saori out on this mission. We need to lay claim to the system before anybody can figure out what we're doing." Dermail handed Lance a sheet of paper. "As you know, the memorial is usually open all day, every day for the entire year. However, the colony will be shut down for maintenance in twelve hours. If we move quickly, we can get the three of you in before the colony shuts down for the night. Since the repairs are all technical, the cemetery will be empty, allowing you to move without detection. You have ten minutes to prepare for the mission. Lance, be sure to issue Heero a side arm."  
  
"One step ahead of you." He threw Heero a small Heckler and Koch MK23. It felt different than his old semi automatic, but the gun was a gun. That's all Heero needed. "The silencer should come in handy, but we probably won't need to fire at all."  
  
"The success of this mission may determine the outcome of the entire war. Also remember that if you are seen, heard, or caught on surveillance equipment, we will disavow all knowledge of your actions."  
  
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence sir." Saori grunted.  
  
"That is all. Dismissed." All the pilots left to tend to their duties. Heero stopped at the door.  
  
"Sir, for now I hold you in high regard and have the utmost respect for you right now. But if anything happens to Releena, I will hold you responsible." Heero gave Dermail a stern glare. "And I won't like you when you're responsible."  
  
"Hah! Maybe I can use that on Winner about my Dorothy!" Dermail laughed out loud. 


	10. Chapter Four Act One

Chapter Four: The Paths to Battle 

Act One: The First Mission

By: Alexandria the Great {SOOOOOOOO sorry for not updating sooner! L Please forgive the Great!}

            Heero, of course, was on his guard. They still had a good two hours before they reached their destination, but Heero was standing near the hatch, Koch MK23 in one hand, the other in a fist.  Saori approached Heero from the side.  He looked at her.

            "Hot chocolate?" she offered.  Heero refused.

            "No thanks," he turned back to the window and thought about Relena. Saori shrugged and sipped the hot liquid.  

            "So," she started, trying to break into conversation with the legendary warrior, "You and Peacecraft are an item, but Peacecraft isn't crazy about it?"  Heero nodded without looking at her.  She tried again:

            "This is like a nice little refresher for you, huh?"  Heero gave an upwards nod, barely acknowledging her.  She moved in for the kill:

            "Must have killed your woman to have to let you go and die again."

            "Relena understands.  I have a responsibility to keep the peace. If I don't, everything I've ever done is a waste."

            Lance jumped in from nowhere. "Do you suppose that Vincent is the one that started all this?"

            Heero took on a sudden fury. "What I wanna know is who the hell taught Vincent Bangotti to pilot a mobile suit?!" 

            "Anyone can learn," Saori said, "any living war vet can teach you; maybe not very well, but the capability is there."

            Heero breathed a heavy sigh.  "How are we supposed to keep the peace if the people we're trying to protect keep reviving the war?"

                        Six complete loomed like a shadow in the distance.  The few lights that were installed in the first place were dim.  It was eerie, even from a distance, the largest graveyard in existence, as Quatre insisted.  Heero tightened the grip on his gun.  He didn't want to set foot in that place. 

            Saori and the guys unloaded at the first dock and wandered over to the entrance of the colony.  A strained beeping echoed around, the sound of  computer tests and the occasional call to comrades on the job.  Heero started off, followed close behind by Saori.  They entered the graveyard. 

            Heero wasn't the least bit spooked being surrounded by dead bodies, but it did make him remember all the unnecessary sacrifices made by his fellow men.  Heero felt somewhat exiled by Saori and Lance—he'd noticed the crest on both of their hands and wished his were more obvious.  After Trieze was brought down, he and the guys made a pact to stay friends and got tattoos only available to soldiers and special ink that would fade but you could still see it well. Then it seemed to fade completely.  Heero didn't understand how Lance even knew about the tat, but he learned to never ask Lance questions about what he knew.  Saori stopped.  Heero and Lance stopped.

            "Ssh, listen." she whispered. Heero and Lance stopped and looked around.  They were alone, except for the hidden men fixing up the place, and Saori's paranoia.  Lance was quick to pull out his own handgun, and he held it parallel to his head.  Heero looked around.  They were still alone.  Lance relaxed.  

            "You're just being paranoid," Lance muttered, lowering his gun and taking a few steps.  Saori followed.  Lance stopped.

            "Damn, we passed it," he looked around.  Heero looked around, too.  He was standing in front of a tomb.  A banner at the top of the tomb read: KHUSHRENADA, TRIEZE. GREAT WARRIOR AND POLITIAN.  Heero found it.

            "I found it," he muttered, loud enough for them to hear.  The doubled back and came to his side.

            "You sayin' it's on there, Yuy?" Saori asked.

            "I'm positive.  It makes sense that Trieze would want to take that thing to the grave." Heero tried to open the door to the tomb.  It was welded shut.  

            "It'll probably stink like Lance's cooking in there," Saori commented.

            "My cooking doesn't stink," Lance defended, insulted, "You distracted me so it burned!"

            "Can you guys argue later? We have to get this thing." Lance and Saori stopped arguing.  

            "Oh, yeah," Saori said, fidgeting with a pip-like instrument at her side.  She put it together.  It was a blowtorch, a portable one.   

            "The colonel said I would need this." Heero and Lance looked at each other.  Saori cut through the door quickly.  The door fell in, crashing to the floor of the tomb and jogging the coffin that held Trieze's body.  An abomination of a stench filled the air.  

            "Oh, God," The three muttered.  Lance pulled out a handkerchief and gave it to Saori.  

            "Thanks," she said, covering her mouth.  Heero winked at Lance.

            "Just being a gentleman," Lance insisted through his shirt.  They followed Saori in. 

            The tomb wasn't unlike any other; just a coffin on a platform in a stone room.  But in this case the coffin was open.  And Trieze wasn't in his coffin.

            "Uh, guys," Saori called, "It smells like death in here, but there's no body."  The guys looked over.  The coffin was empty.  Lance took hold of the top of the coffin and flipped it over.

            "Lance--!" Saori cried, but cut off when she saw him pulling at something on the cap of the coffin.  The material ripped.  Lance pulled out a minidisk.  

            "Nice work, Yuy—" The floor in the tomb collapsed and Saori, Lance and Heero fell through the floor. 


	11. Chapter Four Act Two

Chapter Four: The Paths to Battle

Act Two: The Interference Faction Preventers 

By: Alexandria the Great (I might make some alterations to my penname)

            Saori was the first to come to, and was gagged and bound to a chair.  She rolled her head around.  The fall wasn't that far or hard, but for some reason, all three had been knocked out.  Saori had a headache, too.  She looked around.  They were in a small, bland room, the sort one would rightly put a hostage in.  Saori tried to move, but she was tied tight.  A door behind her opened. Two limber adults, a man and a woman in their thirties or so walked in quietly.  They looked like brother and sister.  Saori wanted to call them to release her, but she closed her eyes and hung her head as if she was still unconscious; they might begin conversing with each other and say something she would need to report to the Colonel.  


	12. Chapter Four Act Three

Chapter Four: The Paths to Battle

Act Three: Explanation 

By: Alexandria the Great, Queen of Geats {sorry about the late update! Knux forgives me, don't you, Knux? Knux? Knuckles….?}

            Relena chewed on the tips of her nails. A hand was gently laid on her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder with a toss of her golden hair. 

            "Hey, you," she greeted quietly. Quatre tried to smile for her. Relena couldn't feel anything but worry…she was all for the construction of the massive memorial, but she only attended the opening ceremonies. Cemeteries gave her the creeps.  And she had a bad feeling about this particular operation.  Her Heero was on the outskirts of occupied space, with a weird kid and a girl that seemed a little too sexy for her age.  She hoped the girl didn't try to make a move on Heero. Relena smiled and giggled at the thought. 

            "What?" Quatre asked with a sweet smile.  Relena shook her head. 

            "Just remembering what it was like to be a young girl in love with a older man."

            Quatre rolled his eyes.  "Relena, you're 18."

            Relena blushed. Quatre chuckled and looked out at the stars with Relena.  

            "Winner," a seductive voice muttered from behind them.  Quatre and Relena looked in to Milliardo's lovely eyes. 

            "Can I have a moment with my sister, please?"

            "Sure," Quarter agreed, walking away.  Milliardo's eyes focused in the direction Quatre left in until he heard a door close.  He looked at Relena. He could tell that she was still in shock from being called and told that if she wanted to be ay her man's side, she would have to be at a hangar in fifteen minutes, no bags, and completely alone. She was tired, but ready to be exhausted if it meant being with Heero.   

            "Hello, sister."

            "Hello, sister? Hello sister? You don't see me for years and all you say is 'hello sister'?"

            "I would have said more, but you just defiled my attempt at a decent conversation."

            Relena rolled her eyes. "Please, Milliardo. What do you have to say to me?"

            "Plenty. Times are suddenly dangerous and I don't think the Vice-Foreign minister should be alone without her guardian and lover."  

            Relena turned red at the word 'lover.' "Where is Lucy?"

            "She's here."

            There was a pause. Relena looked away from her brother, into the eternal sea of pinholes.  

            "I'm a preventer."

            "Good."

            "But not really."

            Relena looked at him strangely.  Milliardo sighed. "I am a member of an underground version of Preventers, the Interference Faction."

            "What is the Interference Faction?" 

            "As you know, the Preventers prevent the outbreak of war.  Several smaller battles make a war.  For those, there is not a way to prevent them.  They must be fought.  We are the interference.  The fighters that fight the fighters." 

            This didn't make immediate sense to Relena. 

            "We are the driving force behind the preventers.  Few conflicts between humans can be resolved diplomatically. That is when we step in: defend people and put evil in its place. Colonel Steed is our founder."  

            "Why is all this happening?" Relena thought out loud, completely disoriented by what she was being told. 

            "Relena," Milliardo walked over and laid his warm hands on her bares shoulders, hugging her close. He could feel her face scrunch up on his chest, and he knew she was crying quietly. "It's ridiculous for any human to believe that the so-called destruction of the gundams would bring about the end of all war forever.  Humans conflict.  And there will be no conflict that doesn't hurt at least one person." 

            "I know, dearest brother, I know." They hugged for a few minutes more, and then he released her, stepping to the door.  He laid his hand on the knob.  He gripped it, not knowing if this was the time to tell her.  He decided yes. 

            "I also must tell you something."

            "What is it?" she brought her head up from his chest and looked him in the eye.

            "We're drafting Lance, Saori, and Heero into the faction." Milliardo stepped out and closed the door before she got a chance to protest.  

            "Forgive me, little sister."


	13. Chapter Five Act One

Chapter Five: Zero Tolerance Act One: Escape By Knux19{Zzzz..Huh? OH! It's my turn!}  
  
"Urgh....." Heero's awoke to find his hands bound behind his back. His head was in immense pain. The room surrounding him was quite small, and there were two more chairs aside from the one he was restrict to. There were ropes strewn about as if others were restrained earlier.  
  
"Where are they....." He checked the knot in the bindings behind him. It was shoddily done and he made quick work of his restraints. "Now to get some answers."  
  
"I think not." A voice shot out from behind him. "This is where you die Mister Yuy." He aimed a .50 Desert Eagle at Heero's head. He gripped the trigger.  
  
BANG!  
  
All that existed in the room was a single shot. The assailant fell and passed out. Heero checked the man's pulse. "Nothing...."  
  
"That's what you commonly get when you fire a .357 at someone who isn't sufficiently armored." Lance had been hiding in the shadows covering Heero.  
  
"Where's Saori?"  
  
".....I'm not sure. I woke up and saw them drag her off somewhere. I couldn't get loose in time, but I overheard them say something about using her to their advantage and killing the other two."  
  
"Killing the other two? What could they have used her for that they couldn't have done with us?"  
  
"I'm not sure but I'm afraid we don't have time to think that over. As much as I hate to say it, we have to leave. The guards have more than likely heard my shot, so unless we want to have one helluva party, we'd better get moving."  
  
"Without making a rescue effort?!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
  
"Look, I want to find her, but the guards will be crawling all over the place in minutes. If we don't get out of here, we'll be dead and we won't have a chance at getting her back at all."  
  
Heero breathed a heavy sigh. "You'd better be right about this. You know that the military doesn't smile on abandoning a fellow soldier."  
  
"Yeah, but mind you, we're not working for the military." Lance confiscated the fallen guards weapon and reloaded his gun. "Let's move. We can escape in the hangar."  
  
After fifteen minutes of evading guards and half a dozen corridors, Heero and Lance arrived at the hangar. Heero stared up at some old Leo type mobile suits. "Civilian issue..." Leo's were available to the public, but weapons were no longer issued. They were sold out to construction and maintenance firms, only equipped with small heat rods and cutting lasers. Nothing that could ever be used a tool of war. "These won't help..."  
  
"Those will." Lance pointed out four Aires type suits. Also available to the public, they were only issued for construction jobs that required large transports. "I don't think they'll miss a couple of these things."  
  
As they climbed into the cockpits, several soldiers entered the hangar. "There they are! Stop them!" A hailstorm of bullets began to rain onto the hull of the suits.  
  
"Heh....it sorta gets amusing after a while." The thrusters on Lance's Aries erupted and blasted him out into the vacuum of space.  
  
As Heero brought his suit to life, two of the enemy soldiers had managed to board the remaining Aries. It was clear that the Leo's were civilian issue.....but the Aries were not.  
  
"That's good to know." After vacating the hangar, Heero swung his Aries around and set the targeting mechanism. "Mission....Complete." His finger clenched the trigger and unloaded a small cluster of missiles.  
  
As the Aries tried to pursue the escapees, they met with a very quick end. The resulting explosion set the hangar on fire and killed every living being inside.  
  
"That should get us out of here."  
  
"Don't be too certain. They may have reinforcements around here. Besides, by the time we get back, we'll probably have another mission, so we don't have time to stick around here."  
  
"No rest for the weary...."  
  
Vincent observed the suits blast away from the station. "Well done Yuy.....This will just make your death more worthwhile...." 


	14. Chapter Five Act Two

Chapter Five: Zero Tolerance Act Two: Earthbound Written By: Knuckles19 {Maybe I'll take that review advice in the next chapter}  
  
Upon returning to the base with the two liberated Aires, Lance immediately set out for Dermail's quarters. Heero climbed out and was pulled aside by Zechs. "Enjoy the flight?"  
  
"I was shooting at them, but I was thinking of you." It had brought back a few memories of when he used to fly against the Epyon.  
  
"Well Yuy" He looked up at the recently repaired Wing Zero "Your probably not going to like hearing what I have to tell you." He handed him a legal form of some kind.  
  
"Great....It's been two years, since I've fought a war, and now I've been drafted twice."  
  
"As of today you are a member of the Preventers Interference Faction. Lance has also been recruited in our ranks."  
  
"What separates this division from the rest of these soldiers?" Heero looked at all of the young and experienced pilots throughout the hangar. He saw many of them tending to the Tallgeese.  
  
"These pilots still need training. Wufei and Trowa have been training them in the art of close and long range combat."  
  
"The "art" of combat?"  
  
"To many, it is a form of the most elegant art in the universe. The thought and soul of a man go into what he performs in battle. Some will even dedicate their lives to it. It's as simple as that."  
  
It didn't sound simple to Heero. He could understand Zechs on many levels, but this was something new to him. He had only considered combat an inevitable means of solving disputes that couldn't be solved with verbal negotiations.  
  
"By the way, here are the details of your first assignment. You leave in fifteen minutes."  
  
"What the hell?! We just got back from our last mission one man short, and you want to deploy us already?!"  
  
"Yuy, you and I both know the sacrifices that come with a war. This is the prevention of a war. The sacrifices are still there, but there are fewer to make and only a few of us have to make them. If it means fighting one or one hundred missions consecutively, we have to fight until we achieve peace, by any means necessary." Zechs turned and set off for the liberated Aires. "You won't be able to use these on your next mission. We'll be supplying you and Lance with civilian issue Leo's. That is all. Prepare yourself for atmospheric re-entry procedures."  
  
Heero breathed a heavy sigh. "Great....this is just how I wanted to spend my last month as a bachelor." He flipped through the papers and began going over his objectives. "Operation Meteor Rain....Hmm..this is...where we self detonated the Gundams two years ago......The Sandrock!" Heero immediately knew what they were searching for and set out to tell his fiancé of his new assignment.  
  
Meanwhile, in Dermail's office..  
  
"So, they've taken Saori, and you have no idea why they want her?"  
  
Lance stroked his chin, deeply engaged in thought. "Yes sir. If it were for hostage purposes, they would have used it to bring us back in while we were escaping. Speaking of which......"  
  
"It's already been taken care of. We've arranged to make it look like a mobile suit malfunction in the hangar. The local colony will accept any answer we throw their way as long as the citizens know of no threat. They'll stay blissfully ignorant.....for now at least."  
  
"That's true......but another thing bothers me. Enemy forces were very well prepared for our escape and they had a pretty tight grip on the place. It clearly takes organization to prepare a counter for a mission as covert as ours. I can only make one assumption....."  
  
Dermail looked out his window at the eternal darkness that stretch out. He found it hard to see that all this would be threatened by an ex-social overseer. "The Zero system....either they don't want us to use it, or they have a use for it themselves."  
  
"They do have the Epyon, well, at least a VERY effective copy of it. They may want to experiment more with the system to draw out the full capabilities of it. As we both know, the Epyon is nothing less than a miracle of modern war."  
  
"Yes, the Epyon is an impressive machine. We've been trying to modify that Gundam of yours to match it, but we still need some time. And if they can finish theirs first, the possibilities of destruction are endless. The model that Marquis flew wasn't even armed with all the intended weapon systems. The war three years ago could have had a completely different outcome."  
  
"Indeed." Lance caught sight of the clock on Dermail's desk. "Well, I'm off sir. My mission begins in five minutes. Can I assume we'll meet with the usual contact?"  
  
"Of course. She'll be waiting for you around the outskirts of town. Be sure to complete this mission quickly. They may have the system in their possession and they may try to stop us from this last shot. Don't let your guard down."  
  
"No sir. Of course not." Lance turned and started for the hangar. "Time to save the world........"  
Duo ran into Heero as he left Releena's quarters. "Hey buddy! What've they got ya' doin' this time?" Heero remained silent. "Uh huh....."  
  
The conversation he had with Releena continued to echo in his head.  
  
"Why do you have to go so soon? You just finished a mission and almost got killed!"  
  
"I......I have to....I can't let him do as he pleases. If he brings back everything that the others and I worked so hard to destroy, what will the war three years ago have been for?"  
  
"I know how you feel, but can't we find another way?"  
  
"I wish we could, but until then, I have to go. With the Zero system, Lance said we may be able to launch a pre-emptive strike and immobilize the Libra before it takes flight."  
  
"......just come back to me alive, okay?" She had tried to hold back tears, but Heero saw right through her.  
  
"I will. I swear it." He hugged his bride to be one last time.  
  
"Yo! Ground control to Major Yuy! You there Heero?"  
  
"Hunh?" Heero finally snapped out of his trance. Duo was walking beside him. "Oh....hey."  
  
"Hear they're sendin' ya on another one. What's up?"  
  
"We're intercepting the black box of the Sandrock."  
  
"Oh.....I get it. The Zero system you copied before we lit up the sky a few years back."  
  
As they entered the hangar, everybody was clearing out to prepare for the launch of the towering Leo units. Heero took a lift up as Duo left for his Deathscythe to resume his work with the trainees. "Heero!" Duo yelled "Good luck!"  
  
After the hangar had been cleared out, the Leo's launched and made preparations to enter the Earth's atmosphere. Normal Leo's would be ripped apart by the heat from re-entry, but special precautions had been taken on these particular suits, specifically, a light exterior layer of titanium armor, added thrust enhancements, and an extended fuel tank to support the long distance of the trip. Lance turned on his radio. "We'll be there in about twelve hours. Stay alert until re-entry. We're not safe yet."  
  
"Will we ever be?" Heero activated the thrust, and began the long trip to the Earth. 


	15. Chapter Five Act Three

Chapter Five: Zero Tolerance  
  
Act Three: Light Dyed By Darkness  
  
By: Knux19{Remember me? Sorry dis' took so long. Computer crash, data lost, ya know how it is.}  
  
After two days on an old cargo freighter, Heero and Lance finally hit the surface of Earth. Their destination was an old city destroyed during the war three years earlier. However, why they were going was clear, yet another question entered Heero's mind.  
  
"Lance." His radio cracked on. The sound provided a split second of relief from the heavy "Thuds" of the Leo's steps. "Exactly why is the Sandrock's copy of the Zero System hidden there?"  
  
"Simple. If you had a high class computer system that could push a pilot to the brink of being a perfect war machine, wouldn't you want to hide it where your enemy would least expect it?"  
  
Heero thought about it. He knew of three copies of the Zero System. One on the Wing Zero, which was destroyed two years earlier, one on the Epyon, which was malfunctioning, and one on the Sandrock, which had been detonated after it's final fight. If they had known about this system, why did they bother going after one that had been under careful guard? "Tell me, did we go after that first system as a ruse? To make them think that they had the only one in existence?"  
  
"Brilliant deduction Holmes. Indeed we did. This system is only known about by a handful of people. We have nothing to worry about if they think that the system lost is the only one in existence. From here on out, the mission should be easy fly...."  
  
At that moment, Lance's Leo was struck from behind by a hailstorm of bullets. "Lance! You okay?!" Heero turned to cover Lance's damaged suit.  
  
"Yeah....me and my big arrogant mouth.....I'm sending out a broadcast signal to our agent in the field. With any luck, maybe she's found it..." He threw several switches. "Yuy! Hit the two buttons on the left side of the right arm control. Then throw the lever on the left side of the fuel gauge!"  
  
Following instructions Heero flicked the controls. A handgun appeared in the left arm of his Leo. "A cutting laser? Is this ALL we have to defend ourselves?!"  
  
"Yeah.....it's the only conceivable defense mechanism we can use." Lance struggled with his controls to raise his Leo. His weapon was now drawn. "Let's just try to stay alive until Noin gets here." He turned his attention to the direction from his assailants attack. He saw nothing but destroyed buildings and fallen rubble. "Stay alert."  
  
"Noin?! Is Lucretzia Noin here?" Hearing this made him feel some assurance of their current situation, but with an unknown opponent in their midst, his heart was still racing. Most of his prior missions had required him to fight in the open with a mech capable of greater combat maneuvers, but now he only had a civilian Leo. His odds of survival were uncertain. Would he live? Would he see Releena's face again?  
  
His thoughts were interrupted as a blast of energy came down from the sky. The two pilots scattered to avoid the shot and took cover behind separate buildings. "Damn...what IS that thing?" Heero shouted. His question was soon answered as a black mobile suit landed in front of his Leo. He tried to get a shot it, but it was too late. The black frame had already used a heat rod to pierce his cockpit. At that moment, everything went black.  
  
"Heero! Heero, you there?!" Lance kept hailing, but received no response.  
  
"And then there was one." Said a new shrill female voice over the radio. "Your friend didn't put up much or a fight." The suit raised it's rifle and with two precise shots, she relieved Lance's Leo of both it's arms. "Looks like you won't either now that you've been disarmed."  
  
"You know what I hate about smart-ass puns?" The Leo fell to one knee. "It just makes the pilot look pathetic when he, or she, loses."  
  
"You're really in no position to be making idle threats to me Mister Perkins."  
  
"How does she know me?....and where did she learn to fly this well....almost as if....no. Impossible." An unthinkable thought ran through his mind, but he wasn't ready to assume the worst. "I may be down," he saw a flash in the distance "but if you think I'm out, you're sadly mistaken. If you surrender, maybe you'll leave this place alive."  
  
"Indeed." The suit approached. It was clearly a gundam, but it varied from most seen by the public. It seemed to be a variant of the Epyon, but the head and appendages were shaped differently. "Time to die little man." She raised a thin beam saber.  
  
"Heh...fool." Lance muttered.  
  
BANG!!!! The elbow of the black suit had been pierced by a sniper bullet.  
  
"What?! How can this happen!?" The female shrieked. Her right arm had lost all power, her saber had fallen, and the beam rifle required two hands to use. "Looks like you win this round......but we'll meet again. You haven't seen the full capabilities of the Iris or the Epyon!" The pilot fled before she could take another hit.  
  
Lance breathed a long sigh of relief. "Good timing Noin. I owe you."  
  
"You owe me twice already." Her voice was a welcome sound after the horrific tone of the Iris' pilot. Still, Lance thought it had an all too familiar ring to it.  
  
"Did you find it?" Lance asked. He had taken in enough excitement for one day, and he was ready to leave.  
  
"I have it, but maybe you should hand it in, while I carry in Heero. You seem to be...handicapped at the moment."  
  
Lance kicked open the hatch on his Leo. He ran to check Heero's suit. He slowly pried open the hatch with an old metal pole he found. As he opened it, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Noin, tell them that Heero's going to live, but he may need to spend a little time in the sick bay....this is one injury a wrench and a few bandages won't cure." 


	16. Chapter Six Act One

Chapter Six: Indispensable 

Act One:  Serious

By: Alexandria the Great (who needs to get her freakin priorities strait)

            Heero drifted in and out of consciousness for a few hours.  The crack of light wedged in his eyes saw the Epyon for a fleeting second, and he knew he was on his way to hell.  He could hear himself speaking, begging for Relena's forgiveness, and drifted away in a little boat of surrealism aimed for the stars.

            "…Relena, please…"

            "Don't you 'Relena, please' me, you bastard! I trusted you and now look what happened!"

            "But I tried to—"

            "You tried to _what_? You couldn't have tried very hard if you lost that girl and got my Heero hurt!"

            "….Relena just listen to him…"

            "Forget it, I'm not listening to any of you anymore! I'm taking him home! I'm tired of him constantly getting hurt!" 

            "Relena, if you take him home, we'll eventually have to bring him back."

            There was a pause. Heero heard the most familiar sound in the world to him: the charge of an AK. 

            "Touch him and die."

            _No, that couldn't have been Relena. Not my Relena, no way in hell.  She goes to pieces when I mention guns around her. _Heero groaned, and tried to open his eyes.  

            Relena gasped. "Heero, Heero, honey, go back to sleep." 

            A warm compress rowed the surrealistic boat to the blackness of deep sleep. 

            His eyelids shot open hours later, to the sound of Velcro ripping and shoe laces being tied.  He sat up.  His jaw dropped.  

            "Heero! You woke up so suddenly!"

            "Relena, what in God's name are you doing in my uniform?"

            Relena had on a form-fitting version of Heero's black, gold-trimmed jacket, matching pants, and black boots.  She even had a semi-automatic handgun in the small, stylish halter.    

            "I've gone from diplomat to delinquent." She smiled.  Heero couldn't take his eyes off of her.  She was a military woman, and looked twice as aggressive as Hilde, because she was mad.  She sat down on the bed by Heero and kissed him. 

            "Heero, your injures are going to take too long to heal.  I'm going to escort you home, and come back, and take your place." 

            "…" Never in his wildest dreams could Heero imagine Relena like this, all toughed up and cold.  And now she wanted to fight.  She kissed him again. God, she looked sexy in his altered suit.  

            "I'll be back in a few minutes to get you home," she promised. Heero's eyes glossed over. She was serious.  

            "Heero, did you hear me?"

            "Relena…"

            "I'm not just going to stand by and watch you get hurt again and again.  There aren't enough people going on our missions with you.  I'm going on the next one with you and Lance."

            "…what…"

            "Don't you dare try to stop with me. I chased you before, but now, I'm joining you."

            Heero laid back down and closed his eyes.  This wasn't happening.  

            "By the way," she said through his black eyelids, "I'm taking over your trainees."

            "WHAT?!" Heero jumped out of bed and stood over her. Relena smiled sweetly.          

            "I'm just kidding, my love. But I am joining you on your next mission."

            Heero turned and climbed back into bed.  She wasn't serious. He felt a weight on his chest, warm, welcome, and busty. 

            "I'm serious." Relena whispered.  Heero groaned.  


	17. Chapter Six Act Two

Chapter Six: Indispensable

Act Two: Four Different Warriors

By: Alexandria the Great (*shock* Do you believe an update is coming THIS quick? Who is this girl?)

            Relena took her semi-automatic handgun and glared down the barrel.  She replaced it in her halter with a fancy little flip that the cowboys did.  Her hair was done up in a high, curly ponytail, and she wore red lipstick that threw off the room dim, artificial light.  Heero watched in wonder. 

            "Lena, do you even know how to fire that thing?"

            "I've seen you do it enough times."

            Heero put a hand on the side of his face and turned away.  

            "Where'd you get that suit from?"

            "I'll tell you later. Get some rest."

            "Yes, I think that's what I need. I seem to be hallucinating."

            Relena smiled as he slid back under the covers.  She gently tugged the sheets up to cover him up to his chin.  Relena planted a sweet kiss on his forehead.  "See you in a few. I love you."

            "I love you, too."

            Relena stepped out of the room and closed the door.  She sighed.

            "Is Commander Yuy going to heal in time to fight?" a young man just older than Relena asked.  The young man startled her a bit.  His eyes were lighter Prussian that Heero's, and his hair one half-shade darker, making his appearance more uncanny and mysterious than her fiancés.  She tore herself away from his strange, engaging eyes.  

            "Yes. He suffered a few head injuries, but he'll recover in time."

            "Good." The young man lowered his head just a bit. "May I walk with you?"

            "Of course you may." Agreed the always-kind Relena.  She looped her arm in his. "Escort me."

            "My pleasure." Her escort smiled, just like Heero, a tiny smirk that escaped only for Relena to know his enjoyment.  "My name is Akihiko Genii, P.S.I.D. 1-45.  Commander Yuy is my teacher."

            "Oh, he's a wonderful soldier, but a teacher…" Relena trailed off, imagining Heero in a schoolroom full of kindergarteners, reading to them about civil war and assigning them their first sentence to write all by themselves: 'Omae O Korosu.' 

            "If you don't mind me asking, what is a sweet, beautiful girl like you doing with an invitation to fight the last war? I mean, you'd be better a pacifist. One look and you could convince most men never to fight again. I mean, except for you."

            Relena giggled, then realized, "You don't know who I am?"

            "I know your one of us, I can't see your crest because of your gloves, but your dressed like one of our own."

            This boy didn't recognize Relena, and he was inches away from her face. 

            "I never did get your name."

            "Londona Chi, P.S.I.D 6."

            "Oh," Akihiko stopped. "So you're on Commander Yuy's level?"

            "Umm, not exactly. I'm one of you."

            Genii looked confused. "But you have a single digit P.S.I.D number."

            "I meant 1, 1-40."

            Genii smiled. "I guess that's the lot of being blonde, huh?"

            "Yep."   

            "You a new import?"

            "Yes, sir."

            "Akihiko."

            "Yes, Akihiko."

            Relena's two-way went off.  She freed her looped arm and retrieved it, flipping open the screen. It was Dorothy.  

            "Excuse me, Akihiko." She requested quietly, pulling away.  He held gently.  She looked at him.

            "I uh, was wondering, if I could see you sometime?"

            Relena smiled warmly. "Thanks, I'm flattered. But I can't. I'm committed." Relena held up her left hand. 

            "Wow, that's a nice-sized rock. He's a lucky man."

            "Romantically, yes. Physically, no." she chuckled.  Genii looked a little confused, but smiled anyway.  Relena gave him a wave and walked in the opposite direction of her new friend, directing her attention to Dorothy.

            "Ahh," Dorothy grinned, "who was that, Relena? Getting the caged animal out of your system before you're taken, are you?"

            "Dorothy Catalonia, how dare you suggest such a thing! I am taken!"

            "Ugly car?"

            "He looks like he hasn't had any in a year."

            They both had a good laugh.  "How did Mr. Yuy enjoy your teddy?"

            Relena laughed as hard as she could without turning heads. "He didn't say. He was shocked when he found out I was coming with him."

            "I'm glad you're still going through with it. I know you can do some good, violently if not diplomatically."

            "Years at home with grandfather's B-B gun are finally paying off.  When are you getting here?"

            Dorothy paused. There was a tap on Relena's shoulder.  

            "Hey, you!" she and Dorothy hugged.  Dorothy's outfit looked like Relena's, except it was navy instead of black with red trim instead of gold.  "Look, Dorothy, I don't know if I can let you walk around here looking cuter than me!"

            "Too late," Dorothy proclaimed devilishly, strutting. Relena laughed, but was suddenly silent. 

            "X-nay. For some reason, Heero is the only soldier that recognizes me in this get-up."

            "Well, frankly, I wasn't sure it was you until I saw the two-way."

            "I just told that guy I was a soldier, Londona Chi, P.S.I.D. 1-41."

            "You're joking."

            "I really did."

            They shut-up as a soldier passed by.

            "Ok, Londona, but when Heero finds out, it's your funeral."

            "That'll be the day." They laughed, and walked arm-in-arm toward the launch docks.  

            Milliardo knocked politely on Heero's door.

            "Come in."

            He came in.  Heero opened his eyes.

            "I hope you know your sister is chasing me again.  It's not enough that she clung to me since the day she met me and now we're engaged, she wants to play war games, too."

            Milliardo picked up Heero by his dirtying bandages and held him up with a yelp from the bedridden warrior.

            "You're trying to marry my sister?! Without my permission?! I may not hate you anymore, Yuy, but let's not push it!"

            Heero squirmed and held his wrists.  "Zechs, put me down, did you even hear the last thing I said?"

            "No! You can't have her!"

            "Zechs, she thinks she's going to fight with me and Lance."

            "Ridiculous!"

            "I know, but she's gone right now, maybe you can find her—"

            "To think she'd ever considered marrying you! She should find someone more like…well, like me!  I'm the only man I could ever trust my poor, sweet, darling sister with!"

            "Zechs!" Heero exclaimed, "Get a grip! Listen to me! Relena is going on my next mission with me and Lance."

            "Like hell!"

            "Well, can _you_ stop her? I though I was hallucinating until she stepped out." 

            "Where did she go?"

            "Disney World."

            Zechs looked in at him blankly.

            "How the hell should I know? I have head injuries!" 

            "My sister is going on no mission. It's far too dangerous and she hasn't a clue what she's doing!"

            "Well, then, Zechs, find her and tell her so because she's _sure_ not going to listen to me."

            Zechs left the room with a flap of his silvery hair.  Moments later, there was another knock on Heero's door.  

            "Did you find her?" Heero called from his bed. 

            "Commander Yuy?" an unfamiliar voice queried.  Heero painfully sat up.

            "Come in." 

            In strolled the young man from their first day in the hangar, the one who claimed to only be there for the work, P.S.I.D. 1-35, Akihiko Genii.  Heero's heart beat with a hint of spite.  

            "Commander, I was walking by and I saw this note attached to your door."  He took quiet steps to Heero's side and laid the little paper in Heero's hand.  Heero opened the letter, sealed with a kiss, and read:

            _Heero Bear,_

_            Lance found a safer location for me. I was kidding about going with you. Don't worry about me until you've done your job protecting us from war. I believe in you and I love you with all my heart.  Take care, and keep your damn hands off that self-detonator._

_                                                            Love,_

                                                        Lena-Doll 

            Heero breathed a huge sigh of relief.  _Thank you Lance_, he thought.  He realized Genii was still present.  

            "Can I help you soldier?"

            "Should women fight? Gorgeous, kind women?"

            Heero smiled and looked away.  "Ask my comrade Wufei."


	18. Chapter Six Act Three

Chapter Six: Indispensable 

Act Three:  "She's a turning point, now, the fusion of war and peace." 

By: Alexandria the Great (…no comment…I guess…working on the Plight of Ferguson Mueller…) 

            Lance hooked the last cable to the upgraded Leo and swiped the greasy back of his hand across his forehead.  He slid down the great top of the mobile suit and hit the elevated platform with a THUD! of his black high-top boots.  He dusted his hands on the grimy thighs of his mock-mechanic uniform.  "That oughta hold her." 

            "Perkins!" a deep voice hollered, it authority as clear as Col. Steed's.  Lance looked over his shoulder and saluted.  Heero gave his comrade a look.  Lance dropped his hand in slight embarrassment, and jumped down the last few feet between the floor and the platform.  It was weird being a slight shorter than the famous pilot Yuy, and being is head honcho, but a supreme honor nonetheless.  

            "Yuy?" Lance answered with a kind smile.  Heero lowered his face just a bit.  

            "Thanks."

            Lance furrowed his brow. "Uh, no prob.  She wasn't working out in few places, but I found a good place to store her until she's ready."

            Heero nodded.  "I have to hand it to you: I didn't expect you to just take on something that I should have done myself."

            "Heero, it's no problem. You've got huge problems on your shoulders.  I may lead, but I help out when I can."

            "I just want to make sure she's taken care of—"

            "A piece like that? I don't blame you."

            Heero showed his reluctant smirk. "Watch it, Perkins.  Only I get to talk about what's mine like that."

            "Gotcha," Lance smiled again.  Heero walked away, is combined faith and confidence installing in Lance.  He shook himself. _No, Yuy, you cannot establish any personal anything with a comrade. HE probably wants to help out a sexy rich girl as much as the next guy. _ Lance rubbed his neck in disbelief. _First time I've ever seen Yuy so concerned about the well being of a Leo…_ Lance shrugged it off and reported to the locker room.  

            Heero adjusted his hat to better cover his bandages.  He definitely couldn't let his buddies or his comrades see him like this—not that they would be able to stop him from going—but their confidence in him might just shrink.  Heero was least confident about this whole escapade to begin with; it just didn't make any sense.  Recover Epyon's system? Why? Heero answered his own question: they were going to fix it.  But what kind of manic could possibly _fix_ the Zero System?  Howard, maybe, but Howard could do nothing six feet under.  That was the last time Heero or Relena had seen Zechs, Milliardo…either of them. And then, he came here…

            Relena straitened her ponytail and changed her lipstick (not that Heero couldn't recognize her anywhere).  

            "Come on, Lena, they'll leave without us." Dorothy muttered impatiently.  

            "I'm coming, how do I look?"

            "I'm still cuter. Sorry." 

            Relena sideways smirked and leaned on one hip.  "But I don't look like me, right?"

            "You look like a prostitute." 

            "Good." Relena grinned. She capped Dorothy's lipstick and stuck it in her pocket. "Lets go."

            Both young women checked their guns and ammo before leaving the room and locking the door behind them.   

            Heero leaned on the side panel one side of the cockpit entrance with his arms crossed.  He watched as Lance turned on this-and-that and switched this-and-that, all the while jabbering wildly into the microphone attached to his earpiece.  

            "Prime boosters activated, main logic systems are a go.  Stellar Radio Transmitters and neurological panels standing by, zero-effect nitro tanks charged, all systems are go."

            Heero, of course understood every word of it, but ignored the familiar information.  He heard the last of the company boarding the shuttle, the door closing behind them.  It just now occurred to Heero that neither Lance nor Relena specified where it was that Relena was safe.  He stood away from the supportive panel and walked slowly down the middle aisle, stealing glances at each face as he passed by.  In the first four seats were his buddies 02-05.  Duo insisted on sitting by the window, and Quatre smiled at Heero, who pretended not to notice.  Trowa and Wufei sat together, the battle between quiet and quieter.  Behind each of his friends were hand picked members of their trainees.  Heero's trainee was supposed to be sitting by himself, but instead sat with an incredibly attractive dirty blonde, who turned away the moment she caught a glimpse of Heero.  Heero's look at her lasted for slightly longer than the one second he'd spent with everyone else, and it was longer than Akihiko, Heero's hand pick, needed to read his master's eyes.  He looked at Londona, who looked past him at Catalonia, another pretty soldier, who sat with Quatre's hand pick.   Dorothy gave her a 'that was too close for comfort' look, and acknowledged Akihiko, who looked hard at Londona.  

            "'Londona Chi, P.S.I.D 1-40?'"  he inquired suspiciously.

            "Yes?" Relena answered sexily, her smile matching her voice.  Akihiko wasn't fazed.  He slid his brow up every so slightly.  

            "How long have you been a member of our organization?"

            "Just as long as you have." 

            "A year?"

            "Uh huh." She replied sweetly. 

            "I've been here for two, but this is my first meeting with my master, Londona.  By the way, P.S.I.D. 1-40 is Forough Cray.  He and I went to boot camp together." 

            Relena froze, her teeth clamped down hard on her lip.  "Don't tell Heero.  It's me, Vice Foreign Minister Darlian." 

            Akihiko's eyelids vanished and he stiffened. "_You_ are engaged to Commander Yuy?!" 

            Relena put her fingers to her lips.  "Just call me Londona and act like I'm what I say I am."

            "A soldier?"

            "Exactly."

            "How can I when you can barely say it?"

            "I'm not here to fight, really, I'm just here for my Heero.  I'm going to watch him and make sure he doesn't get killed." 

            "And what do you plan to do when he's out there?" Akihiko pointed out the window into space. 

            Relena hardened her gaze to imitate her love's. "I guess I'll have to go out and get him, won't I?"

            Dorothy smiled.  "Where is Commander Yuy?" 

            "He probably went to get in his suit.  We'll be landing soon."

            "I need you to help me."

            Akihiko gave her the 'with what?' look. 

            "How do you drive a Leo?"

            Akihiko looked away at Dorothy. "Promise you won't fight after I teach you how to…'drive.'"

            "I promise." 

            Akihiko jumped up and led her away to his assigned mobile suit.  He opened up he cockpit and helped her in, securing her with the safety belts. 

            "Look, basically all you need are those two levers.  Push them away from you to fly down, pull them toward you and push and hold the buttons to fly up.  Push them from side to side in the direction you want to walk or fly.  Got it?"

            "Yeah, what if somebody shoots at me?"

            "Push that orange button overhead.  It'll put up a shield. You'll have to get help or something.  I can't teach you how to use this thing properly in a few minutes."

            "Soldier!" Heero called from his mobile suit. "What are you doing?"

            "Hurry out," Relena whispered, "Don't let him see me!" 

            "Be careful, try not to fight."

            "I won't fight, I'll just get out of the way."

            Akihiko jumped down, did a quick bow to excuse himself from Commander Yuy, and hurried back to his seat.  Heero assumed he'd been adjusting his suit, but it was obviously nothing that couldn't be done once they reached earth.  


	19. Chapter Seven Act One

Chapter Seven: Like old times Act One: Meteor Mk II By: Knux19 {So, where is the plot gonna go this time? I think I'll play it by ear.}  
  
"Entry course set.....all systems green......now all we gotta do is fall with style." Duo said as he ran his fingers across multi-colored panels. He had relieved Lance of his piloting duties while he went to check the cargo bay. The shuttle was mostly crew, but the cargo bay held a large crate that only Lance seemed to know the contents of.  
  
Wufei breathed a heavy sigh. Thoughts of the past ran through his head. It was in the atmosphere that he and Heero had fought nearly to the death. Though he tried not to make it public, he still wanted to know who would have won. Staring out into space, he could have sworn it was the exact same spot as their battle, but he knew the odds of that.  
  
"HEY! Earth to Wufei! You still awake?" Duo shoved Wufei's arm.  
  
"Huh? What?"  
  
"Throw that switch dude. I don't wanna burn up before I get to fight."  
  
"Oh. Right." Wufei pulled a lever down and returned to his silent state. Breathing another sigh, he almost didn't notice a red blip on the radar. "What? This can't be right......."  
  
Back in the Cargo bay, Lance had allowed Akihiko and Londona to step in to do some "maintenance" on the Leo Type Mobile Suits they had been given. Lance had stepped into the rear bay, which was restricted to all but him.  
  
"Okay, now this switch brings up the radar's target display. Basically, it show's you the nearest enemy." Akihiko had very little time to teach her the controls, and no idea of when his first battle would be. "This one over here will throw the mech into a full reverse movement for evasive manuevers."  
  
"And Heero makes it look so easy......" For Releena, this was like learning politics all over again. So many possible outcomes from every switch, and the wrong one meant disaster.  
  
"I'm sorry Miss Rel...I mean Londona, but this is the way they made them. It's hard to teach knowing I'm going to be in my first battle, and I heard we're going to be using Talgeese type's soon." Akihiko drew a bandana from his pocket and wiped it across his forehead. The heat of the cargo bay was enough, but atmospheric entry would make it beyond human durability. "Man, I wish they'd put an air conditioner in the cargo bay."  
  
"If they did, who would use it?"  
  
"Point taken." He looked down to his wrist and checked the time. "It's sixteen hundred. We'd better get back to the passenger bay before we enter the atmosphere."  
  
"Okay. I think I know enough to move one of these now. Shouldn't you go get Lance?"  
  
"Oh, he knows what he's doing. I've heard he's the best we've got, with all respect to Mister Yuy of course."  
  
Releena laughed. "You don't need to call him Mister just because your in my presence."  
  
"Okay Miss Londona."  
  
She chuckled again. "And don't call me "Miss" either."  
  
Wufei's voice came over the intercom. "Attention! Enemy signal from six o' clock!"  
  
"WHAT?!" Releena was shocked. She didn't know much about mobile suits, but she did know that attacking another person in the atmosphere was suicide. "Who can attack when we're just about to enter?"  
  
Lance's voice followed Wufei's "Don't worry. I'll take the new type Aeros out and handle it. Continue along the set entry course."  
  
Akihiko snapped to attention "The Aeros?! I thought it was still in it's developmental stages. Did they actually bring it with us?!"  
  
Lance's voice again came over "Trowa! Open the rear cargo bay doors and seal off the central cargo bay from the rear. We've got some soldiers working on the Leo's."  
  
They could hear the bay doors opening and themselves being sealed in. "C'mon Miss Londona. We'd better get back to our seats."  
  
Lance was out in space again. This time he wouldn't have to run. He could hold his ground and maybe even score a victory with the Aeros. The proud blue and white suit had a similar build to the old Talgeese, but with smaller and a more aerodynamic design. With this, he could even enter the atmosphere, but that aspect had not yet been tested.  
  
"Okay. I see the enemy. One suit, looks like.....!" It was the same suit that had assaulted he and Heero during their mission to recover the Zero System. "Well! I finally get to pay you back, but being a nice guy, I think I'll give you a chance to surrender. How about it?"  
  
The pilot gave no response. He or she was as silent as a mobile doll. Cold, emotionless, and ready to fight...a perfect killing machine.  
  
"Well then" The Aeros' left arm erupted with a wave of light as it projected a brilliant beam shield. The right arm held a beam rifle, ready to pierce anything in it's path. "Shall we get started?" He swayed to the left and fired two volleys. His opponent dodged with ease and returned fire. This suit not only looked like the Epyon, but it had a familiar flight pattern. It was as if Lance had known the skills of this person to a point where he could read his mind.  
  
"Lance!" It was Wufei on the radio. "You'd better return in two minutes. We're about to enter!"  
  
"Two minutes? I don't get to have any fun, do I?" He returned his attention to his target, who was now right in front of him. The mech raised it's arm and ignited a beam saber and brought it down hard. It crashed against the beam shield. Sparks flew in every direction imaginable. "This is too familiar for my tastes....It's like he can read my every move.....almost as if it were one of us."  
  
"Hey! Get back in here! If you stay out much longer, you'll burn up in the atmosphere!" This time, it was from Trowa.  
  
"Don't worry about me! I'm fine!" A red aura-like light began to surround the dueling suits. "Dang.....Sorry to make this fast, but I'm in a hurry!" Lance discarded his rifle in favor of his beam saber. Throwing the shining blade against the chest of his adversary, he cut away and began to head for the shuttle. "We'll finish this another time."  
  
"If I go down I'm taking you with me!" A female voice shot over the radio.  
  
"WHAT?!" He recognized the voice right away. "It can't be.....Saori?! What the hell are you doing over there?!" He was interrupted by a violent shake. Something had latched onto his leg. "What now?" A heat rod was coiled around his leg. "Damn!..............Wufei! I'm going to make my own entry preparations. You guys go ahead and I'll meet up with you in Iceland!"  
  
"Okay. Don't go getting killed now."  
  
The boys had all been watching the fight from the passenger bay. "You sure we shouldn't go back for him?" Quatre asked sounding worried.  
  
"He's a big boy Quat." Duo didn't sound worried at all. "Looks like he can take care of himself."  
  
Heero was lost in thought. "He's so much like me back then.......who knows? If I could survive entry during the first Meteor, maybe he can survive his own." The men continued to watch on as the mechs fell to the Earth, glowing a fierce red. 


End file.
